The Las Vegas Raiders started the 2026 NFL Draft by going with an offensive player. They drafted their franchise QB, Fernando Mendoza. Now, they are going to get a cornerstone piece of the defense in Treydan Stukes, who could be the perfect safety for the Raiders.

The Raiders have three safeties on the roster. They have Isaiah Pola-Mao, Jeremy Chinn, and Tristin McCollum. Here’s the catch, though. All of them are box-like safeties, where they do their best work closer to the line of scrimmage. They can’t really cover well. The other side of this is that they are all three on one-year deals for this season. There is no way they bring all three back.

Treydan Stukes is the perfect fit for the Raiders

Some people in NFL front offices think Stukes could end up being the second-best safety in this class behind Caleb Downs when it’s all said and done. He can be that slot player the Raiders will need when Taron Johnson’s deal ends after 2026, or he can be that zone and coverage safety they desperately need right now and in the future. A lot of teams seem to be thinking he will be a star in this league. So, the Raiders traded back to get him. They only have three safeties on their roster, and none can cover. So, Stukes could be a starter in year one.

Stukes is a very athletic mover and has as fluid a set of hips as it gets. Oftentimes, when a safety is turning, there is lag, or their speed slows down, but you don’t really get that with Stukes. To make things even better, Stukes is exceptional at recovering to undercut late throws. Stukes has some of the best instincts in the draft, too, especially when the ball is in the air.

If you need any proof of that, watch the interception of the year against Arizona State. He doesn’t commit penalties, and in fact has not since 2023. His only weakness is his average or mediocre frame. But, as a center fielder, you don’t have to be the biggest kind of guy. He also gets flat-footed at times and could certainly work on some of his tackling. But he’s a willing tackler and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.

Treydan Stukes’ background

When you read the lists of every analyst who has “their guys,” Treydan Stukes on nearly all of them. His skillset on the back end is very appealing. After spending the majority of his early years at Arizona at wide cornerback, Stukes was kicked inside to the slot and earned himself third-team All-American honors in 2025, and that came after tearing his ACL in 2024. In the NFL, Stukes can play anywhere on the back end, and his versatility will be incredibly valuable for teams who like to vary up their coverage structures.

Final grade

The Raiders had a HUGE need at safety, maybe their biggest need on the entire roster, due to reasons we have already listed. So, in that regard alone, getting the third-best safety in this class lands them at an A. Then, you add on to the fact that the Raiders traded back to get him, and it’s an A+. Vegas moved up from 117 to 91, and it doesn’t get much better than that.
GRADE: A+